NDK Temperature-Compensated Crystal Oscillator (TCXO) enables high-precision clock synchronization for autonomous driving perception systems.

In autonomous driving systems, the perception module achieves accurate environmental modeling through multi-sensor fusion, with its hardware architecture typically consisting of LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, visual cameras, and a main control unit. The precision of clock synchronization between sensors directly impacts the accuracy of target recognition and trajectory prediction. Temperature-Compensated Crystal Oscillators (TCXO), leveraging their built-in temperature compensation mechanism, achieve a frequency stability of ±0.5ppm within the automotive-grade temperature range of -40℃ to 105℃. Compared to standard crystal oscillators (±10-20ppm), TCXOs significantly reduce synchronization errors caused by temperature drift, providing a reliable benchmark for timestamp alignment of multi-sensor data.

The 20.000MHz TCXO plays the core role of the master clock reference in the autonomous driving perception system. This frequency can generate LiDAR pulse synchronization signals and camera exposure timing via PLL, with its short-term stability of ±0.1ppm ensuring sub-nanosecond synchronization accuracy between point cloud and image data. For instance, in sensor fusion, the 20.000MHz reference clock can control the time alignment error between radar and vision systems within 100 nanoseconds, effectively preventing trajectory calculation distortion of dynamic targets in high-speed scenarios. Its temperature coefficient of 1ppb/℃ also mitigates the impact on the clock caused by rapid temperature changes in the vehicle due to solar radiation.

NDK's NT2520SE is a 20.000MHz automotive-grade TCXO, featuring a ceramic package (2.5×2.0mm) and an operating voltage of 3.3V±10%. The device achieves breakthrough performance through five core technologies: Firstly, it offers a full-temperature frequency stability of ±0.2ppm (-40℃~105℃), exceeding the AEC-Q100 standard requirement of ±0.5ppm. Secondly, its phase noise is as low as -158dBc/Hz at 1kHz offset, ensuring phase consistency for 77GHz millimeter-wave radar FMCW signals. Thirdly, it employs a dual-stage temperature compensation architecture, maintaining ±0.3ppm accuracy even during vehicle cold starts. Fourthly, it supports a 3ms fast start-up, meeting the instant response requirements for system fault recovery. Fifthly, its vibration resistance is enhanced to 5000g, withstanding mechanical shocks in automotive environments. A comparison of its parameter advantages is as follows:

· Frequency Stability: ±0.2ppm (NT2520SE) vs ±0.5ppm (Industry Standard)

· Aging Rate: ±0.3ppm/year (NT2520SE) vs ±1ppm/year (Standard TCXO)

· Current Consumption: 1.8mA (NT2520SE) vs 2.5mA (Similar Products)

In the autonomous driving perception system, the NT2520SE can directly provide a reference clock for the GPU, and its 0.05ps jitter accuracy significantly improves the inference efficiency of vision algorithms. As an authorized distributor of NDK, MANDU provides sensor clock tree design, signal integrity simulation, free samples, and failure analysis services, assisting customers in achieving ISO 26262 functional safety certification. For autonomous driving R&D engineers, the NDK NT2520SE TCXO, with its military-grade reliability, ultra-low jitter, and full-temperature stability, serves as the cornerstone for building high-precision perception systems. Its hermetic ceramic seal resists moisture and salt spray corrosion, and its extended temperature range covers -55℃ to 125℃. Through MANDU's localized technical support, customers can quickly address EMC design challenges and meet ASIL-D level safety requirements.

About Mandu Technology

Shenzhen Mandu Technology Co., Ltd. has steadfastly centered its operations on the distribution of high-performance, high-quality, and highly reliable integrated circuit products. Its portfolio encompasses memory chips, differential crystal oscillators, and MCU microcontrollers, while progressively integrating analog signal chain products. The company prides itself on delivering comprehensive and cost-effective solutions to its customers. Its products find applications across a broad spectrum of industries, including but not limited to network communication, industrial control, robotics, medical equipment, personal health, and numerous other fields.

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